Munition casing



V. MAUCK. MUNITION CASING. I APPLICATION FILED OCT. 8. 19H? 1,429,958} Patented Sept. 26, 1922.

INVEN TOR A TTORIVEY Patented Sept. 2Q, 1922 VICTOR MAUCK, OF NORRISTOWN', ZPENNSYLVANIA.

MUNITION CASING.

Application filed October 8, 1918. Serial No. 257,354.

T 0 all w have it may concern:

Be it known that I, Vroron Manon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norristown, in the county of Montgomery and State of .lt ennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Munition Casings, whereof the following is a specification, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing.

The present invention is a modification of the inventions respectively described in my applications Serial 217,037 filed February 14:, 1918, and Serial 219,67etfiled February 28, 1918, for Letters Patent of the United States, having as its object to provide a casing which may be hermetically sealed for the transportation of explosives but which may be tested for leakage at the joint between the casing body and its closure, by admission of compressed air to the interior of the casing after the latter is presumably hermetrically sealed at said joint, and not only be readily opened to discharge its contents, but may be resealed, so that the easingcan be again used for the same purpose, as distinn'uished from ordinary munition casings which are provided with sealing means which are destroyed when the casino is opened, and are not provided with any leale ago testing means.

As it is of the utmost importance, in the present state of war, to minimize the weight and size of all containers used in the transportation 0t munitions; it is the object of my invention to not only provide a suitable removable closure for a munition casing, which closure may be made of thin pressed sheet metal, and, consequently, is far less weighty than it made of cast metal of the same strength, but to so shape the elements of said closure as to occupy the minimum space.

The form of my invention hereinafter de scribed comprises means torinterlocking a munition casing with a removable closure, so that the latter cannot he accidentally displaced, and includes the provision uponthe' munition casing of a flange which presents a downwardly turned ledge, to afford the maximum security of engagement of the books which hold the closure upon the easing; and a closure including a pressed sheet metal lid,.a pressed sheet metal yoke, and a lid clampingscrew carried. by said yoke,

which are not only so shaped as to afford the maximum strength with minimum dimensions but permit said yoke to extend within a recess in said lid, and said screw to extend entirely within the outer boundaries of said yoke when the closure is in position upon the casing. Moreover, a convenient adjunctive feature of my invention is the provision of means to seal the screw by which the closure is held on the casing, so that the casing cannot be opened without breaking said seal and thus indicating the fact that it has been opened.

My invention includes the various novel features of construction and arrangement hereinafter more definitely specified.

In the drawing; Fig. I is a plan view of a munition casing embodying a convenient form of my invention,

Fig. II is a longitudinal sectional view of said casing, taken on the line II, II in Fig. I.

I Fig. III is a transverse, central sectional view of the yoke shown in Figs. I and II.

In said figures; the body of: the munition casing is a cylindrical tubular shell 1. Said shell is preferably formed of a primarily plane sheet of commercial steel, electrically welded at a single longitudinalseam 2 and permanently closed by the bottom plate 3, having the cylindrical flange 4 united to said shell 1, conveniently by an oxy-acetylene weldingprocess. The opposite, upper, end of said shell 1 is preferably provided with an integral, outwardly and downwardly turned, annular flange 6 of semi-. circular cross section, which affords a bearing for the resilient gasket 7, which may be of rubber or other suitable material. Said flange 6 forms a ledge which is hollow at its under side to engage the hereinafter described closure books more securely than if said flange were plane.

The closure for said casing includes the lid 9, which. is pressed from a primarily plane circular plate of sheet metal so as to have the annular flange 10 opposed to the flange 6 on said shell and arranged to bear upon said gasket 7 Said lid also has the cylindrical shoulder 12 adjoinlng its flange 10 and fitting in said shell, and has its intermediate portion 13 conically dished, with its rounded apex 14 extending in said shell, toward the clo e K nd; of the. latter Said 11d 9 also has, in its dished portion 13, a test port 15 for detachable connection with a source of compressed air, formed by the internally screw threaded nipple 16, pressed from. said lid 9, in unitary relation there with, and extending into said shell. The tapered screw test plug 18, which is preferably provided with a standard pipe screw thread, is fitted to said nipple, and has a wrench hold accessible from the exterior of said lid 9, conveniently the slot 19 for a screw driver.

Said lid 9 is conveniently secured by the yoke 21 which, as shown in Fig. I, has a substantially rhombic body, with two diametrically opposite azrin havii'ig pendent, inwardly turned, hooks 23 in unitary relation therewith; the ends of said hooks being shaped to engage in the hollow of said hook ledge formed by said annular shell flange 6. Said yoke 21 is hollow, U-shaped in cross section, deeper at its middle than at its ends, and has its U flanges extending outwardly from said shell, oppositely to the direction of extension of said books 23,

It is to be noted that said yoke 9i is so proportioned and arranged with reference to said lid 9 as to fit within the latter to the maximum extent possible in view of their relative movement necessary to apply and remove them with respect to said shell.

Said yoke 21 has the outwardly extending rectangular central nut pocket 25, and opposite, inwardly extending, nut locking tabs 26, to rigidly hold the nut 27 the latter being of standard punched size. Such construction and arrangement is preferable on account of itslow cost. However, it is to be understood that said yoke may be otherwise provided with a central nut or screw thread for engagement with the clamp screw 28 which extends through said yoke in registry with the apex 14L of said conical portion 13 of said lid 9. I prefer to provide said clamping screw 28 with a stop limiting the extent to which it may be normally withdrawn with reference to said yoke, and conveniently the cotter pin 30 extending through the hole 3.1 which is drilled trans versely through said screw near its point. Said clampingscrew 28 is preferably provided with the T head 32, conveniently ol' the rhombic shape shown in F l, and having the transverse aperture 3-41 for the sealing wire 35 which extends through said head aperture and transversely encircles said yoke 2i and has its ends twisted together and imbedded in the seal 36, conveniently formed of lead or other soft metal; said wire and seal being employed to indicate whether the casing has remained unopened during its transportation or not.

t is to be understood that in the position shown in Fig. Ll, said casing is hermetically sealedby pressure of said screw 28 upon said lid 9, compressing said gasket 7 at the joint between said casing flange (land the flange 10 of said lid; thus preventing access of air and moisture to the explosive material 37 in said casing. However, said screw 28 may be turned, by its head 32, until it is retracted to the limit permitted by the stop 30; whereupon, said closure lid and yoke may be applied to and removed from said casing by movement transversely with respect to the axis of the latter; said lid and yoke being then relatively movable, axially with respect to said casing, to the minimum extent permitting engagement of the yoke hooks 23, with said casing flange 6.

lhe casing chosen for illustration, but which is shown partly broken away, includes a shell which is six and one-half inches in internal diameter and has a depth of Iiftyone inches, internally, between the apex of the lid and the bottom of the casing, and is designed to contain a double charge for propelling projectiles of the United States standard 155 millimeter howitzer. However, it is to be understood that casings embodying my invention may be made of different sizes and proportions. Therefore, said screw head 82 is preferably shaped as shown in Fig. I, to display symbols 88 indicating the nature and purpose of the contents of the casing, to facilitate the dispensation of the same. As access of moisture to such munitions would materially deteriorate the latter; the United States Government requires that the joint between the casing and its closure. which is supposed to be hermetically sealed, as above described, shall be subjected to an air pressure of five pounds per square inch for five minutes without leakage. Considerable difliculty has been experienced in affording a suitable connection for such a test, without materially increasing the cost of the casing, and the nipple and plug construction and arrangement above described has the advantage of affording a suitable test port at the least possible cost.

It is to be noted that the cooperative relation of the closure lid, yoke and clamping screw is not only such as to minimize the axial extent of the same, but to permit the head of the screw to come within the upper boundary of the yoke when. the structure is assembled and permit the sealing means to be similarly secluded in the yoke and thus avoid any projecting parts which are apt to be displaced during the necessarily rough handling to which such casings are necessarily subjected in transportation overseas.

Of course, such closures as above described may be used on casings differing from the casing 1. Therefore, I do not desire to limit myself to the precise details of construction and arrangement herein set forth, as it is ob vious that various modifications may be made therein, without departing from the essential features of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a munition casing, the combination with a cylindrical tubular metal shell, pernianently closed at one end, and having at the other end an outwardly and downwardly turned annular flange forming a hollow hook ledge, ot semi-circular cross section; of a plane annular gasket, of resilient material, on said flange; a closure for said shell, including a pressed sheet metal lid, having a plane annular flange opposed to the flange on said shell and arranged to bear upon said gasket; said lid having a cylindrical shoulder adjoining said flange and lilting in said shell, and having; its intermediate portion eonically dished and eX- tending in said shell, toward the closed end. of the latter, and having, in its dished portion, an internally screw threaded nipple, extending inwardly, with respect to said shell, in unitary relation with said lid, and forming a test port; a tapered screw test plug fitted to said nipple, and having a wrench hold accessible from the exterior of said lid; a pressed sheet metal, yoke having a rhombie body with two diametrically opposite arms having pendent, inwardly turned, hooks in unitary relation therewith; the ends of said hooks being shaped to engage in the hollow 0t raid hook ledge; said yoke being; hollow, Ushaped in cross section, deeper at its middle than ends. and with. its U flanges extending outwardly from said shell; said yoke having an oiuwardly extending rectangular central nut recess, and opposite, inwardly extending, nut locking tabs; a stz-unlard sine square nut, mounted in said recess and rig: idly locked in said yoke by said tabs; a clamp screw, extending in said nut, in. reg:- istry with the apex oi the conical portion of said lid, having. a cotter hole extending through it, near its point, and having a T bar head with an aperture tor a sealing wire; a cotter pin in said scrw, preventing withdrawal o't said screw from said nut; and a sealing wire extending through. said head, transversely encircling; said yoke, and normally preventing rotation ofsaid screw: the construction and arrangement being such that said closure lid and yoke may only he applied to and removed from said casing when said screw is retracted to the extent limited by said cotter pin, said closure being capable of being hermetically clamped upon said casing by said screw, and, when thus clamped, said screw head is within said yoke.

2. In a munition casing, the combination with a tubular metal shell, permanently closed at one end, and having at the other end an outwardly and downwardly turned.

at its annular flange forming a hollow hook ledge; of an annular gasket, on said flange; a closure for said shell, including a pressed sheet metal lid, having an annular flange opposed to the flange on said shell and arranged to bear upon said gasket; said lid having a shoulder adjoining said flange and fitting in said shell, and having its intermediate portion dished and extending in said shell, toward the closed end of the latter, and having, in its dished portion, an internally screw threaded nipple, extending inwardly, with respect to said shell, in unitary relation with said lid, and forming a test port; a tapered screw test plug titted to said nipple, and having wrench hold. accessible from the exterior of said lid; a pressed sheet metal yoke having a rhoin'oie body with two diametrically opposite arms having pendent, inwardly turned, hooks in unitary relation therewith; the ends of said. hooks being shaped to engage in the hollow of said hook ledge; said yoke being hollow, U-shaped in cross section, deeper at its middle than at its ends, and with its Ufianges extending outwardly from said shell; said yoke having an outwardly extending central nut recess, and inwardly extending nut locking tabs; a standard size nut, mounted in said recess and rigidly locked in said yoke by said tabs; a clamp screw, extending in said nut, in opposition to said lid, having a stop hole extending in it, near its point, and having' a head with an aperture tor a sealing wire; a stop pin in said hole, preventing withdrawal of said. screw from said nut; and a sealing wire extending through said aperture, engaging said yoke, and normally preventing rotation of said screw; the construction and arrangement being such that said closure lid and yoke may only be applied to and re moved from said casing when said screw is retracted to the extent limited by said stop pin, said closure being capable of being hermetically clamped upon said casing by said screw, and, when thus clamped, said screw head is within said yoke.

Tn a inunition casing, the combination with a tubular metal. shell, permanently closed at one end, and having at the other end an outwardly and downwardly turned annular flange forming a hollow hook ledge; of an annular gasket. on said flange: a closure for said. shell, including a pressed sheet metal lid, having an annular flange opposed to the flange on said shell and ar ranged to bear upon said gasket; said lid having a shoulder adjoining said flange and fitting in said shell and having its intermediate portion dished and extending in said shell, toward the closed end of the latter; a pressed sheet metalyoke having a rhombic body with two diametrically opposite arms having pendent, inwardly Al m.

turncil, hooks in unitary relation therewith; the ends ol. said hooks being shaped to engage in the hollow oi? said hook ledge; said yoke being hollow, U-shaped in cross section, deeper r: *niddle than at its ends, and with its flanges extending outwardly from said shell; said yoke having an outwardly extending central nut recess, and inwardly extending not looking tabs; a standard size nut, mounted in said recess and rigidly locked in said yoke by said tabs; a clamp screw, extending in said nut, in opposition to said lid, having a stop hole extending in it, near its point, and having a head with an aperture for a sealing wire; a stop pm 111 said hole, preventing withdra *al ol said screw trom said nut; and :1 sealing wire extending: through said aperture, engaging said yoke, and normally preventing rotation of said. screw; the construction and arrange ment being such that said closure lid and yoke may only be applied to and removed from said casing when said screw retract ed to the extent limited by said stop pin, said closure being: capable of being hermetically clamped upon said using by said screw, and, when thus clamped, said screw head is within said yoke.

l. In a munition casing, the combination with a tubular metal shell, having at one end an outwardly and downwardly turned annular flange forming a hollow hook ledge; of an annular gasket, on said flange; a closure ffOl' said shell, including a pressed sheet metal lid, having an annular flange opposed to the flange on said shell and arr-un ed to bear upc-usaid gasket; said lid f tting: in said shell, and havingits intermediate portion dished and extending in said shell; a metal yoke with two arms ha ing pendent, inwardly turned, hooks shaped to engage in the hollow of said hook ledge; said yoke bc inc; hollow. U-shaped in cross section, deeper at its middle than at its ends, and with its U flanges extending outwardly trom said shell; said yoke having a central nut recess, and nut locking, tabs; a nut, mounted in. said recess and rigidly locked in said yoke said tabs; a clamp screw. extending in said nut, in opposition to said lid, having a stop near its point, and having a head with an aperture for sealing means preventing: rotation of said screw; the construction and arramgemcnt being such that said closure l id and yoke may only be applied to and removed from said casing: when said screw is retracted to the extent limited by said stop, said closure being capable of being hermetically clamped upon said casing by said screw, and, when thus clamped, said screw head is within said yoke.

In a munition casing. the combination with a tubular metal shell, having; at one end an outwardly and downwardly turned annular flange forming a hollow hook ledge;

G i ciof an annular gasket, on said flange; a closure for said shell, including a pressed sheet metal lid, having an annular flange opposed to the flange on said shell and arranged to bear upon said gasket; said lid fitting in said shell, and having" its intermediate portion dished and extending; in said shell; a metal yoke with two arms having pendent, inwardly turned, hooks shaped to engage in the hollow of said hook ledge; said yoke being hollow, U-shaped in cross section, deeper at its middle than at its ends, and with its U flanges extending outwardly from said shell; said yoke having a central 'nut recess, and nut locking tabs; a nut, mounted in said recess and rigidly locked in said yoke by said tabs; a clamp screw. extending in said nut, in opposition to said. lid, having a stop near its point; the construction and arrangement being such that said closure lid and yoke may only be applied to and. removed from said casing when said screw is retracted to the extent limited by said stop, said closure being capable of being); hermetically clamped upon said casing by said screw, and, when thus clamped, said screw head is within said yoke. 6. In a munition casing, the combination with a tubular metal shell, having at one end an outwardly turned annular flange forming a hook ledge; of an annular gasket, on said flange; a closure for said shell, including a metal lid, havingan annular flange opposed to the flange on said shell and arranged to bear upon said gasket; said lid fittingin said shell, and having its intermediate portion dished and extending" in said. shell; ametal yoke with two arms having pendent, inwardly turned, hooks shaped to engage said hook ledge; said yoke being a channel bar deeper at its middle than at its ends, and with its flanges extending outwardly from said shell; said yoke having central nut locking means; a nut, secured in said yoke by said locking means; a clamp screw, extending in said nut, in opposition to said lid; the construction and arrangement being such that said closure lid and yoke may only be applied to and removed from said casing when said screw is retractcd, and said closure being! capable of being), hermetically clamped upon said casing by said screw.

'7. in amunition casing, the combination with a tubular metal shell, having at one end an outwardly turned annular flange forming a hook ledge; of an annular gasket, on said flange: a closure for said shell. in cluding a metal lid, having an annula r flange opposed to the flange on said shell and ar ranged to bear upon said gasket; a metal yoke with. two arms having; pendent, inwardly turned, hooks shaped to engage said hook lecge; said yoke being a channel bar deeper at its middle than. at its ends, and with. its

masses flanges extending outwardly from said shell; said yoke having central nut locking means; a nut, secured in said yoke by said locking means; a clamp screw, extending in said nut, in opposition to said lid; the construction and arrangement being such that said closure lid and yoke may only be applied to and removed from said casing when said screw is retracted, and said closure being capable of being hermetically clamped upon said casing by said screw.

8. In a munition casing, the combination with a tubular metal shell, having at one end an outwardly and downwardly turned annular flange forming a hook ledge; of an annular gasket, on said flange; a closure for said shell, including a metal lid, having an annular flange opposed to the flange on said shell and arranged to bear upon said gasket; said lid having a cylindrical shoulder adjoining said flange and fitting in said shell, and having its intermediate portion conically dished and extending in said shell, toward the closed end 01": the latter, and having, at its dished port-ion, an internally screw threaded nipple, extending inwardly, with respect to said shell, in unitary .relation with said lid, and forming a test port; a tapered screw test plug fitted. to said nipple, and having a wrench hold accessible from the exterior of said lid; a pressed sheet metal yoke havinga rhombic body with two diametrically opposite arms having pendent, inwardly turned, hooks shaped to engage said hook ledge; said yoke being hollow, U- shaped in cross section, deeper at is middle than at its ends, and with its U flanges extending outwardly from said shell; said yoke having a central nut; a clamp screw, extending in said nut, in opposition to said lid; the construction and arrangement being such that said closure lid and yoke may only be applied to and removed from said casing when said screw is retracted, and said closure being capable of being hermetically cl amped upon said casing by said screw.

9. In a munition casing, the combination with a tubular metal shell, having at one end an outwardly and downwardly turned annular flange forming a hook ledge; of an annular gasket, on said flange; a closure for said shell, including a metal lid, having an annular flange opposed to the flange on said shell and arranged to bear upon said gasket; a pressed sheet metal yoke having a rhombic body with two diametrically opposite arms having pendent, inwardly turned, hooks shaped to engage said hook ledge said yoke being hollow, U-shaped in cross section, deeper at its middle than at its ends, and with its U flanges extending outwardly from said shell; said yoke having a central nut; a clamp screw, extending in said nut, in opposition to said lid; the construction and arrangement being such that said closure lid and yoke may only be applied to and removed from said casing when said screw is retracted, and said closure being capable of being hermetically clamped upon said casing by said screw.

10. In a munition casing, he combination with a tubular metal shell, having at one end an annular flange forming a hook ledge; of an. annular gasket, onsaid flange; a closure for said shell, including a pressed sheet metal lid, having an annular flange opposed to the flange on said shell and arranged to bear upon said gasket; said lid having its intermediate portion dished and extending in said shell, and having, extending in its dished portion, a pressed sheet metal yoke with two diametrically opposite arms having pendent, inwardly turned, hooks in unitary relation therewith; the ends oi said hooks being shaped to engage said hook ledge; said yoke being hollow, ill-shaped in cross section, wider and deeper at its middle than at its ends, with. its U-flanges extending outwardly from said. shell, and having a central nut; and a clamp screw, extending in said nut, in opposition to said lid; the construction and arrangement being such that said closure lid and yoke may only be applied to and removed from said casing when said screw is retracted, said closure being capable of being hermetically clamped upon said casing by said screw, and, when thus clamped, said screw is entirely within said yoke.

11. In a munition casing, the combination with a,tubular metal shell; of a closure for said shell, including a pressed sheet metal lid, having its central portion dished and extending in said shell, and having, secluded in its dished portion and below the top of said shell, an internally screw threaded nipple, extending inwardly, with respect to said shell, "formed of the pressed sheet metal, in unitary relation with said lid, and forming a test port through which communication may be established between the interior and exterior of said shell; a tapered screw test plug fitted to said nipple, and having a wrench hold accessible from the exterior ol? said lid but below the top of said shell; and

means covering said port and plug arranged to removably secure said closure on said shell, in hermetical relation; whereby the joint between said shell and closure may be tested for leakage, by air pressure applied through said port, and the casing be thereafter hermetically closed, with said plug, without disturbing said joint.

12. In a munition casing, the combination with a tubular metal shell; of a closure for said shell, including a lid having its central portion dished and extending in said shell, and having secluded in its dished portion and within said shell, an internally screw threaded port; a tapered screw test plug also within saidshell fitted to said ort, and having a wrench holdaccessible iroin ;the

exterior of said lid; and means arrangedto removably secure said closure on said shell;

eluding a lid, having an {annularfiangeuopposed to the flange on said vshell and arranged to bear upon said gasket; a pressed sheet metal yoke having, in unitary relation, arms with hooks fitted to, engage said shell flange; said yoke being hollow, U-shaped in cross section, deeper at its middle than at its ends, and with its U flanges extending outwardly from said shell; and, a clamp' screw extending through said yoke, in 0pposition to said lid.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Norristown, Pennsylvania, this third dayol August, 1918.

VICTOR MAUCK.

Witnesses ARTHUR E. Pinon, CAROLYN E. REUTER. 

